Stability

This lecture we will concentrate on

● How to determine the stability of a system represented as
a transfer function
● How to determine the stability of a system represented in
state-space
● How to determine system parameters to yield stability
Definitions

Remember that :
The total response of a system is the sum of the forced and natural response,
c(t) = cforced(t) + cnatural(t)
Using this concepts, we present the following definitions of stability, instability
and marginal stability :
Definition :
A linear time invariant system is stable if the natural response approaches to
zero as time approaches to infinity.
A linear time invariant system is unstable if the natural response grows
without bound as time approaches to infinity.
A linear time invariant system is marginally stable if the natural response
neither decays nor grows but remains constant or oscillates as time
approaches to infinity.
BIBO Stability

The definitions given on the previous slide leads to a more

commonly used way of defining stability for LTI systems
A system is stable if every bounded input yields a
bounded output.
We call this statement the bounded-input, bounded-output
(BIBO) definition of stability.
Determining the Stability of Systems

From our previous lectures, we learned that

If the closed loop system poles are in the left-half of the s-
plane and hence have a negative real part, the system is
stable.
stable
Unstable systems have closed loop system transfer functions
with at least one pole at the right half plane and/or poles of
multiplicity greater than one on the imaginary axis.
And marginally stable systems have closed loop transfer
function with only imaginary axis poles of multiplicity 1 and
poles in the left half plane.
Routh-Hurwitz Criterion

The Routh–Hurwitz stability criterion is a mathematical test

that is a necessary and sufficient condition for the stability of
a linear time invariant (LTI) control system.
This method enables us to investigate the stability information
without the need to calculate for closed loop system poles
Basicaly the test is composed of two steps :
(1) Generate a data table called a Routh table and
(2) interpret the Routh table to tell how many closed loop
system poles are in the left half plane, the right half plane,
and on the axis.
Routh–Hurwitz Criterion for ch.
polynomials of order 2, 3, and 4
● In the following, we assume the coefficient of the highest order (e.g. in a
second order polynomial) be positive. If necessary, this can always be
achieved by multiplication of the polynomial with -1.
– For a second-order polynomial, , all the roots
are in the left half plane (and the system with characteristic equation
is stable) if all the coefficients satisfy .
– For a third-order polynomial , all
the coefficients must satisfy , and
– For a fourth-order polynomial
all the coefficients must satisfy , and and

● In general Routh stability criterion proclaims that all First column elements of
Routh array is to be of same sign.
● System meeting the above criteria is said to closed loop stable otherwise
unstable because there is sign changes in the first column elements.
Generation a Routh Table
Consider the following closed-loop transfer function

We are interested in system poles (the roots of the ch. eq.)

therefore focus on the denominator
Generate the Rought table
Begin by labelling the rows with powers of s from the
highest power of the denominator of the closed loop
transfer function to s0. Next start with the coefficient of
the highest power of s in the denominator and list,
horizontally in the first row, every other coefficient. In
the second row list horizontally, starting with the highest
power of s, every coefficient that was skipped in the first
row.
empty parts
Generation a Routh Table

Each entry is a negative

determinant of entries in the
previous two rows divided by the
entry in the first column directly
above the calculated row.
The left-hand column of the
determinat is always the first
column of the previous two rows,
and the right-hand column is the
elements of the column above
and to the right.
The table is complete when all of
the rows are completed down to
s0
Example #1

Investigate the stabiliy of the system with the characteristic

equation given as

Solution : Form the Routh Table

is
positive
and
no sign
changes
System
The initial table Calculate the third Complete the overall is
row and simplify table
STABLE
Example #2

Investigate the stabiliy of the system with the characteristic

equation given as

Solution : Form the Routh Table

4 sign changes,
System is UNSTABLE
Example #3 (Zero coef. in 1st row)

Consider the characteristic equation of the form

Form the Rought table

Stability is dependent
a 0 in the first column ?? Case #1
NOT STABLE !! (Why ??)
insert a very small number
instead
Example #3

Case #2
– Rewrite the polynomial in the form

with
Form the table now

2 sign changes
NOT STABLE !!!
Example #4 (Zero Row in Table)

Consider

Routh Table

zero row STABLE

Define zero row (again) WHY ?
Define
Zero Row in the Table

● Looking further to the case of all zeros in a row :

– This can happen when a purely even or purely odd
polynomial is a factor of the original polynomial
– Even polynomials only have roots that are symmetrical
to the origin. This symmetry can happen only in 3
conditions
● The roots are symmetric and pure real
● The roots are symmetric and pure imaginary
● The roots are quadrantal.
Example #5 (variable gain)

Consider

determine the values of K in order for the system to be

stable
Form the Routh Table
Stability for Block Diagram Rep.

Given

comment on the stability of the plant

Solution :
Start with constructing the equivalent closed loop system
representation. The closed loop block diagram
representation and transfer function is in the form
Block Diagram Representation

From the Routh Table

Due to the sign change in

the first column plant is
UNSTABLE
Design with Block Diagram Rep.

Find the range of K, for the system shown to be stable

unstable and marginally stable

Solution :
Start with constructing the equivalent closed loop system
representation. That is
K
T (s) 
s 3  18s 2  77 s  K Corresponding
Rought Table
● Since K assumed positive, we see that all elements in the first
column are always positive except the s 1 row. This entry can be
positive, zero, or negative, depending upon the value of K.
● If K<1386, all terms in the first column will be positive, and since
there are no sign changes, the system will have three poles at the
left half plane and be stable.
● If K>1386, the s1 term in the first column is negative. There are two
sign changes, indicating that the system has two right half plane
poles and one left half plane pole, which makes the system unstable.
● If K=1386, we have an entire row of zeros, which colud signify jω
poles. Returning the s2 row and replacing K with 1386, we form the
even polynomial P(s)=18s2+1386. Differetiating with respect to s, we
obtain dP(s)/ds=36s .
 Replacing the row of zeros with the coefficients of the last equation, we
obtain the following Routh table.

Since there are no sign changes from the even polynomial (s 2 row) down to the
bottom of the table, the even polynomial has its two roots on the jω-axis of the
unit multiplicity. Since there are no sign changes above the even polynomial, the
remaining root is in the left half plane. Therefore, the system is marginally stable.
Stabiliy in State Space

Given the system of the form

The eigen values of the input matrix is also thepoles of the

system therefore The chacteristic equation can be obtained as

det(I  A) 0

When the characteristic equaiton is obtained we can evaluate

the stability of the system with Rought – Hurwitz Criterion.
Example:

For the system given below, find out how many poles are in
the left half plane, in the right half plane, and on the jω-axis.

Solution : Find
Form the Rought Table

Since there is one sign change in the

first column, the system has one right
half plane pole and two left half plane
poles. The system is unstable.